Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Humpback whale (Scuttle CRC-17724)
Gray whale (CRC-2702)
Steller sea lions
Harbor seals
Bald eagles

June 15, 2026 | 1 PM Whale Watch

Double header of the baleen variety this afternoon! We were lucky enough to be able to spend time with Scuttle “CRC-17724” the humpback whale and the newly named gray whale “CRC-2702”. Scuttle was fighting the flood tide in Rosario Strait, checking out current lines as they slowly worked their way south of Bird Rocks. They wowed us with shows of their flukes on every deep dive, and the snow-capped peak of Kulshan set the perfect backdrop for our encounter. The gray was busy feeding near Lopez Island, plumes of sediment bubbling at the surface each time they emerged, indicating active benthic foraging. Little pigeon guillemots flew all around them and their heart-shaped blow hovered dramatically above the emerald waters they fed within.

Our continued exploration brought us to two unique portions of the San Juan National Wildlife Refuge. Bird Rocks was teeming with bird activity: nesting double crested cormorants and glaucous winged gulls, black oyster catchers, juvenile Brant's cormorants and more! At the Peapods we found harbor seals hauled out and sunbathing, and several bald eagles scoping out the current lines for their next meal. At a nearby navigational market, pelagic cormorants were nesting and four Steller sea lions were doing their best to stay dry despite the ripping flood tide nearly sinking the marker.

We enjoyed a scenic cruise down the eastern Cypress shoreline towards home, admiring the Cone Islands and rugged Pacific Northwest beauty of our island home.

- Sam